1. Field of the Invention
This disclosure relates to a rapid transit vehicle and in particular to the end door which is a composite door that may be swung as a conventional door to allow movement between adjacent cars, and which also may be separated to provide a stairway for emergency exit from the vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
While the prior art has shown closure members which act as both doors and stairways, these structures have been restricted to aircraft in which both the door and stairway move pivotally downwardly. Such structure is shown in the Ray U.S. Pat. No. 2,453,937 (1948), and in Fink et al, U.S. Pat. No. 2,531,263 (1950). While these patented structures apparently work well with aircraft, they are not suitable for railway passenger vehicles because such vehicles must have hinges which allow the door to swing laterally of the door opening.
Other types of emergency exits have been used with motor vehicles such as that disclosed in the bus of the Kinney U.S. Pat No. 3,861,739 (1975). Such an emergency exit merely provides a door that can be used as a slide to allow passengers to alight from a motor vehicle. Such construction is undesirable for use with rapid transit vehicles because of chance of injury due to the greater height of the passenger platform above the ground.